Show-case.



J. A. ROTHERHAM.

SHOW CASE.

APPLICATION FILED we. 17-, 1910.

. Patented Dec. 13,1910.

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ENS CD, WASNINOION, D. C:

UNITED STATES PATENT EEieE.

JAMES A. ROTHERHAM, 0F REVERE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOW-CASE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. Rom-1E1:- HAM, of Revere, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Show-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a show case adapted toexhibit material such as popped corn, the material being continuouslycirculated within the case in a stream which rises in the centralportion of the case and descends in the outward portion thereof givingthe effect, in the case of popped corn, of corn rising from a cornpopper, the same charge of corn being used indefinitely.

The invention consists in improvements which I will now proceed todescribe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings which form a part of thisspecification,Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a show caseembodying my invention, parts of the case being broken away. Fig. 2represents a transverse vertical section of the case.

Similar reference characters indicate the same or similar parts in allthe figures.

In carrying out my invention I provide a show case which is transparentto a sufficient extent to permit a free view of the contents of thecase, the embodiment of my invention here shown including a rectangularcase having top and side walls 12 and 13 of glass, supported by asuitable frame 14. The base portion 15 of the case is not necessarilytransparent and may be of any suitable construction, although ifdesired, the glass walls 13 may be extended the entire height of thecase. It is obvious, however, that parts of the upper portion of thecase may be opaque.

As here shown, the case is provided at one end with a hinged door frame16, the opening of which is filled by a sheet of wire cloth 17, adaptedto permit the escape of air from the upper portion of the case, and toretain within the case the popped corn or other material which iscirculated therein, as hereinafter described. The frame 16 and thefilling l7 constitute an open guard and a movable closure, which permitsthe insertion of a charge of popped corn into the case. The bottom 18 ofthe operative portion of the case is hopper-shaped or flaring and iscomposed of walls which are inclined up- Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed August 17, 1910.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910. Serial No. 577,551.

wardly and outwardly from the depressed central portion of the bottom tothe side walls of the case.

19, represents an air inlet through the depressed central portion of thebottom 18, said inlet being at one end of an air conduit 20, the otherend of which may be connected with the casing of a blower or otherwiseadapted to receive a blast of air under pressure, which blast passesfrom the inlet 19 upwardly into the central portion of the case.

21, represents a hopper-shaped or flaring conduit supported within thecase, the inclined walls of the conduit being preferably parallel withthe walls of the bottom 18 and separated therefrom by air spaces, theconduit being supported by legs or braces 92 which hold it suitablyelevated above the bottom 18. The smaller depressed end of the conduitis located directly above the air inlet 19, and is preferably of largerarea than said inlet, the larger upper end of the conduit being locatedbelow the top 12 of the show case.

The space surroinided by the conduit and the spaces between the conduitand the bottom 18, constitute endless passages through which a charge ofpopped corn inserted in the case is circulated, as indicated by thearrows in Fig. 2 by a blast of air entering the case through the inlet19. The charge of corn accrunulates by gravitation at the depressedcentral portion of the bottom 18 over the air inlet, where a guard 22 ofwire cloth or other foraminous material is pro vided to prevent the cornfrom falling into the conduit 20. The blast of air passes upwardlythrough the conduit 21 and takes up the corn, carrying it through theconduit 21 into the upper portion of the show case where the corn fallsoutwardly and returns by gravitation to the lower portion of the bottom18, the air escaping through the guard formed by the frame 16 and itsforaminous filling 17, the latter preventing the escape of the corn withthe air. The corn is circulated, in the manner described, continuously,so long as the air blast is maintained. The corn rising from the conduit21 gives the effect of corn rising from a corn popper, so that the caseconstructed and operated as described constitutes a very attractivenovelty, and effectively advertises the material circulated therein. Toheighten the effect I employ mirrors for the walls 21,

rtfilfl till Ell each wall having areflecting upper surface the innerend of which is arranged to receive which reflects the material passingthrough the conduit. The conduit 21 as here shown is composed of glassplates each having a reflecting coating 2%, represented by the heavyblack lines in Fig. 2, this coating being of the usual characteremployed in ordinary mirrors.

I claim:

1. A transparent show case having an air inlet at one side, internalmeans for causing a circulation in the case, of light material, such aspopped corn, by a blast of air entering the case through said inlet, andmeans for preventing the escape of said material through the air inletwhereby the same charge of material may be displayed indefinitely.

2. A transparent show case having an air inlet at one side, and aninternal conduit, the inner end of which is arranged to re ceive a blastof air passing from said inlet, while its outer end is arranged todeliver the blast into the outer portion of the case, the walls of thecase and conduit forming endless passages through which popped corn orthe like may be circulated by a blast of air entering the case throughsaid inlet.

3. A transparent show case having a hopper-shaped bottom, an air inletat the depressed central portion of said bottom; a hopper-shaped orflaring conduit within the case having a smaller end arranged to receivea blast of air entering the case and a larger end adjacent to the top ofthe case, the walls of the conduit being separated from the walls of thecase by air spaces which cooperate with the space surrounded by theconduit in forming endless passages for the circulation of popped cornor the like by a blast of air entering the case through said inlet.

4. A transparent show case having an air inlet at one side, and aninternal conduit,

a blast of air passing from said inlet, while its outer end is arrangedto deliver the blast into the outer portion of the case, the walls ofthe case and conduit forming endless passages through which popped cornor the like may be circulated by a blast of air entering the casethrough said inlet, the case being provided with a guarded outlet forthe escape of air and for the retension ofthe circulated material withinthe case.

5. A transparent show case having an air inlet at one side, and aninternal conduit, the inner end of which is arranged to receive a blastof air passing from said inlet, while its outer end is arranged todeliver the blast into the outer portion of the case, the walls of thecase and conduit forming endless passages throughwhich popped corn orthe like may be circulated by a blast of air entering the case throughsaid inlet, the air inlet being provided with a guard to prevent thecirculated material from falling into it.

6. transparent show case having an air inlet at one side, and aninternal conduit, the inner end of which is arranged to receive a blastof air passing from said inlet while its outer end is arranged todeliver the blast into the outer portion of the case, the walls of thecase and conduit forming endless passages through which popped corn orthe like may be circulated by a blast of air entering the case throughsaid inlet, the conduit being provided with reflecting surfaces whichreflect the material passing through it.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES A. ROTHERHAM.

lVitnesses A. HARRISON, J. H. CHURCHILL.

